Written by: Will Hoenike
After two years as a member of the 2A Canyon Conference, the Valley Vikings have returned to the 1A Division 1 Snake River Conference.
The team’s welcome-back party will be hosted by the Butte County Pirates in Arco on August 26.
Thanks, schedule-makers.
It’s certainly not a soft landing for a program that won just one game in its two seasons at the 2A level. But being back in familiar surroundings, facing familiar foes, and driving familiar roads should ease the transition for a program that won state titles at the 1A Division 1 level in 2015 and 2018.
“Our attitude and work ethic has improved, starting last spring,” said Ryon Jarvis, the 7th-year Viking head coach. “I am excited to see the gains from the athletes that have put in the time and effort.”
Jarvis will be leading a young team in 2022. Junior RB/LB Aaron Damian will be in position to carry the ball a lot on offense behind senior OL/DL Logan Dimond. The drop from 11-man football to the 8-man game – same size field, three fewer players – should open up bigger running lanes for Damian this fall, which should lead to more chunk plays and touchdowns for the Vikings.
“We are gaining experience in many positions,” Jarvis continued. “Our overall experience and football IQ are improved.”
That experience and IQ will be put to the test in the deep and powerful Snake River Conference. Two-time defending state champion Oakley comes to Hazelton to close out the regular season on October 14 while Valley will travel to perennial state power Raft River on September 23. There are also road games at Glenns Ferry and Lighthouse Christian, while Murtaugh and Carey both come to Valley.
Jarvis points to the ability to be competitive and maintaining a good attitude as key factors to finding success this fall. With a sophomore-heavy team that is learning the varsity ropes – and doing it in arguably the toughest 8-man football league in Idaho – success may not strictly be defined by wins and losses this year for the Vikings.
However, the 1A Division 1 state playoffs includes seven at-large berths that are selected based on a mathematical formula provided by Maxpreps. Two teams qualified in 2021 despite sub-.500 records, which gives younger, developing teams a reason to keep competing despite a slow start. If Jarvis’s squad can continue to gain experience and maintain its competitive attitude, the brighter days may arrive sooner than some expect for Valley.